DAILY TRUST
The Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Mathew Hassan Kukah, has blamed the recent tragic stampedes in Oyo and Anambra states as well as Abuja on the failures of the government to respond actively to the hunger in the land.
He also noted with dismay that Nigeria was still walking in darkness despite attaining independence over 60 years ago.
In his message to Christians on the occasion of this year’s Christmas celebration Bishop Kukah lamented that Nigeria’s lack of visible and measurable progress was tied to the fact that the country had chosen darkness rather than light.
“Imagine if we let the light shine on our public service, on our politics, on our individual, community and national life, on our public institutions. Imagine what Nigeria would be like if we chose light instead of darkness.
“Our journey to greatness is still severely constrained by the forces of ethnicity, nepotism, and greed. There is still the lingering anxiety that ethnicity and religion trump common citizenship in terms of access to opportunities. Feelings of exclusion drive citizens to the fringes of violence and frustration.
“We are still unable to come to terms with the ideals of our national anthem that says: though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand. Diversity is a gift of God. Let us use it effectively as a tool for national mobilization and cohesion,” he said
The Bishop also spoke on the issues discouraging Nigerian youths from participating actively in politics, saying the costs of running for public office was the major obstacle for youth participation in politics.
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